japan running news

by Brett Larner 隠岐の島で川内三兄弟と子供たちのマラソン大会 pic.twitter.com/39PuIqenMo — IZUMI TAM 6/21 隠岐の島 (@izuizuu) June 20, 2015 For the last four years the Okinoshima Ultramarathon has been a staple on Yuki Kawauchi 's schedule, a tough and hilly race held every year on Father's Day on the west coast island where his father Ashio Kawauchi was born.  This year to mark the 10th anniversary of both Ashio's passing and the race, Kawauchi was joined by both of his younger brothers, Yoshiki and Koki .  Yoshiki, a 2:22 marathoner, made his ultra debut in the 100 km division, while Koki, the youngest of the three, joined course record holder Yuki in the 50 km. Yoshiki's day began early, the 100 km race getting going at 5;00 a.m.  6 1/2 hours later, Yuki missed his pre-race introduction to the crowds at the 50 km start and arrived at the starting line with just 4 minutes to go, Koki giving him a perplexed, "What's up?"  Last year Yuki ran 2:47:27 in Okinoshima, insi...

http://www.hochi.co.jp/dosports/running/20150617-OHT1T50097.html translated and edited by Brett Larner In thin air between 1500 m and 1700 m, the Kawauchi brothers ran together over tough challenging hills of Nagano.  With their mother Mika Kawauchi , 51, watching, her oldest son Yuki , 28, won the June 14 Venus Half Marathon in 1:10:39.  A day earlier on the 13th, Yuki and the older of his two younger brothers, Yoshiki , 24, ran the neighboring Megamiko Cup Ekiden, a warmup for the Venus Half, together with friends as part of the four-member "Team Kawamoto," raising the excitement level at the race with a come-from-behind win. The Kawauchi brothers ran the ekiden together with two friends, brothers Ryusuke and Yuta Sakamoto , 35 and 28, respectively, combining their family names to create the Team Kawamoto name.  With each member running the same 2.3 km loop, Yoshiki started the second stage in 5th, running 6:58 and passing four people to take the lead befo...

http://www.nikkansports.com/sports/athletics/news/f-sp-tp0-20130616-1143588.html http://hochi.yomiuri.co.jp/sports/etc/news/20130615-OHT1T00207.htm http://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2013/06/16/kiji/K20130616006025620.html translated and edited by Brett Larner The 8th annual Okinoshima Ultramarathon took place June 16 on the island of Okinoshima.  452 runners took part, including 141 women.  First among them in the event's 50 km division was Moscow World Championships marathon team member and defending champion Yuki Kawauchi  (26, Saitama Pref. Gov't), who crossed the line in 2:57:28.  Kawauchi's father Ashio Kawauchi , who passed away in 2005 at age 59, was a native of Okinoshima, giving the Father's Day race a special significance for the younger Kawauchi. It was his third-straight year running the Okinoshima Ultramarathon 50 km, with a DNF after collapsing with heat exhaustion in the final kilometers of 2011's race and a 2:51:45 course record last...